Malawi: Is Peter Mutharika Mastering Rule 16 of 48 Laws of Power? ‘Make Yourself Rare, People Will Seek You’

For months, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has been invisible. While other presidential hopefuls are on the campaign trail, dancing at rallies, speaking at funerals, cutting ribbons, and shaking every possible hand, Mutharika has remained largely unseen–silent, even. Whispers started flying: “Is he sick?” “Has old age finally caught up with him?” “He’s in South Africa–maybe for treatment.” The gossip fed itself, grew teeth, and began painting a picture of a man who had quietly exited the stage.

But then came today.

A single photo–just one image of Mutharika greeting the outgoing US Chargé d’Affaires, Amy Diaz–has set social media ablaze. There he is, standing tall, firm handshake, in a tailored suit, eyes sharp, smile calm. Not just alive. Not just well. Thriving.

And suddenly, everything changes.

So we ask: is Peter Mutharika deliberately playing Law 16 of the 48 Laws of Power–“Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor”?

The Power of Disappearing

According to Law 16, once your name is well known, constant presence begins to cheapen your value. Too much of you, and people get bored. Familiarity, as they say, breeds contempt. But absence? Absence awakens curiosity, sparks longing, and creates value. That’s the game Mutharika might just be playing.

His disappearance has led to a surge of public interest. People who hadn’t thought about him in months are now asking: “Is he still in the race?” “Could he actually win?” “What else has he been planning in silence?” His enemies, who had dismissed him, are now second-guessing their assumptions. His supporters? They’re reinvigorated, defending him online, reposting the image, and saying: “Our leader is back.”

A Calculated Comeback?

Mutharika’s return to the spotlight, just three days before the official campaign period opens, isn’t accidental. It’s strategic. The timing is too perfect. His silence had reached a boiling point–questions were flying, media chatter increasing–and just before doubt turned to mockery, boom, he reappears, healthy, smiling, and presidential.

It’s classic seduction. Stay away long enough to be missed, then reappear to remind them of your worth.

If this is indeed a Law 16 masterclass, then we can expect more moves in the coming days. He may not rush to the campaign stage with everyone else on Monday. No. Mutharika, if he’s sticking to the script, might still choose to speak less, appear only when needed, and let speculation and longing do the heavy lifting.

What Comes Next?

Expect whispers to now turn into conversations. His photo will circulate in WhatsApp groups, debates will start on radio, and think pieces (like this one) will pour in. He doesn’t have to say much–his very presence has become the message.

And that’s the brilliance of Law 16: make yourself rare, and people will seek you. Make yourself needed, and people will wait for your words like wisdom from the mountaintop.

So, is Peter Mutharika using Law 16?

All signs point to yes–and if he keeps playing it right, he might just convert absence into a resurgence.

The real campaign may have just begun–and Mutharika didn’t need a rally to announce it. He just needed one picture.

By Nyasa Times.